J.K. Rowling Regrets Ron and Hermione’s Relationship

In a new interview conducted by Emma Watson, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling drops a bombshell: She regrets putting Ron and Hermione together.

The shocking revelation came in the new issue of Wonderland which Watson is a guest editor of this month. The comments were obtained by The Sunday Times.

Rowling says that she should have put Hermione and Harry together in the Harry Potter series instead of Hermione and Ron.

“I wrote the Hermione/Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfillment,” she says. “That’s how it was conceived, really. For reasons that have very little to do with literature and far more to do with me clinging to the plot as I first imagined it, Hermione ended up with Ron.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” she continued, “I can hear the rage and fury it might cause some fans, but if I’m absolutely honest, distance has given me perspective on that. It was a choice I made for very personal reasons, not for reasons of credibility. Am I breaking people’s hearts by saying this? I hope not.”

Watson didn’t seem shocked by these comments and agreed with her. “I think there are fans out there who know that too and who wonder whether Ron would have really been able to make her happy.”

Rowling also says that Ron and Hermione would have needed “relationship counseling.”

We obtained these comments via a preview The Sunday Times posted on Twitter. More may be shared in the full article.

This is the first we’re hearing about Watson interviewing Rowling for Wonderland, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye out for the full interview.

As fans are aware, Ron and Hermione raised two children: Rose and Hugo.

I think Harry is too serious a person for Hermione. She needs someone humorous and relaxed like Ron who can give her a break from her books, ambitions and studies. I also think it's wonderful that the sidekick ended up with the girl. Ron has always been in the shadows of his brothers and Harry, the chosen one. Hermione choosing him over anybody else validates that he is important, which is central for his character development throughout the series. Without the Ron/Hermione relationship Ron would be even more cast aside to a point that it probably would be best to kill him off by book 5 if Harry/Hermione were meant to end up together.

While I tend to care more about how the plot and characters develop than who ends up with who, I was happy with the way the relationships turned out. The interactions between them were so well written, particularly in Deathly Hallows that you could tell in the cases of both Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione that these weren't some other teenage romances, this was love.

I agree with some of the above posters that Harry and Hermione ending up together would have been a bit cliche. I personally like the brother/sister dynamic between them much better.

Anyway, it's not the first time an author has made a confession like this. In his later years, Tolkien said that he wanted to rewrite The Hobbit because it's tone was so drastically different from The Lord of the Rings and he wanted the two books to fit together better than they did. One thing he particularly regretted was giving the trolls Bert , Tom and William such conventional names.

I wish she'd said that she regrets the inclusion of Grawp, considering that he's an annoying and useless character who adds nothing to the plot (basically the Jar Jar fucking Binks of the series).

she said she regret she isn't saying that that not like this that should have end! Love is not logical, she put so many clues that the two are in love . And she didn't said that Hermione should end with Harry or i have a eye problem

It did seem that way but teenage "love" is like that, isn't it. Its hard to express your feelings for someone during all those awkward years. I think the fact that she was so close with Harry shows its more of a friendship than a true attraction. That's just my opinion.

I think all this "buzz" have not to be ! JK Rowling explain that she ALWAYS plot Hermione/RON couple, she have wrote all the serie think about it, wrote all those clues about this couple ! ALl she said for what i understand is that if she wrote NOW the serie (with all her experience, her happiness etc...) she wouldn't married Hermione to Ron that all !

That not exactly the same !! And for what i read she never said "i regret" !!

+1 Lord 1/ She have wrote all the books with the plot to put Hermione with ron2/ she just said if this couple haven't be part of her early plans may be they would'nt be a couple3/ Where is write if Hermione wasn't with ron she will be with Harry ? why Hermione shouldn't marry Dean? Seamus ? Cormac (LOL) ? Justin ?

I think Harry is too serious a person for Hermione. She needs someone humorous and relaxed like Ron who can give her a break from her books, ambitions and studies. I also think it's wonderful that the sidekick ended up with the girl. Ron has always been in the shadows of his brothers and Harry, the chosen one. Hermione choosing him over anybody else validates that he is important, which is central for his character development throughout the series. Without the Ron/Hermione relationship Ron would be even more cast aside to a point that it probably would be best to kill him off by book 5 if Harry/Hermione were meant to end up together.

To build on that, Ron challenges Hermione and doesn't take her word for things. Ron is not stupid, and I think Hermione knows that and genuinely values his opinion. Look at SPEW. Hermione was in the wrong there, and the only one to consistently challenge her on that was Ron. She needs someone who doesn't just allow her to be right all the time, not someone who would be generally passive and not very stimulating for her (Harry). We've seen scenes of the two of them hanging out alone, and it is frequently acknowledged that there are things they don't emotionally supply each other. Ron and Hermione click.

It's not even so much "the hero getting with the main girl is cliché" (the two sidekicks getting together isn't that unique either I think) for me as it is that harry and hermione are simply written as platonic friends with no romantic chemistry, which is why it's so weird that jkr is saying this because making it h/hr would have required complete restructuring of the trio dynamic, one of, if not the, main cruxes of the series.

I wouldn't call Harry the hero... The more I read the books, the more I think Snape is the true hero, not Harry. His rule-breaking is really childish sometimes, and he does have an acting like a hero thing. Luna and Harry sounds perverse to me. She might be able to talk to him like no one else, but she always remains mad to me. I would have preferred no Luna to no Grawp in the series as well, or no Umbridge! Hermione is indeed closer to Harry and is able to reason with him (at least when HE is willing to listen to her). How many itmes has Ron treated Harry AND Hermione badly? I would have preferred Harry with Hermione as well, because Ginny just kind of pops up in HP6, right? He suddenly gets obsessed with her after his date with Cho didn't work out (which, incidentally, happens because Harry has no EQ), which is unrealistic to me because his feelings for Ginny come out of nowhere. Hermione on the other hand has always been present in his life, and if you consider the way Ron treats her, I think they don't make a good couple at all.

Let's face it: Ron is a fucking idiot and Hermione is too good for him. Them getting together is like a Harvard grad marrying a high school drop out.

Pottermore username: DustBlade76

So Crucify the ego, before it's far too late, to leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical. And you will come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable.

I wouldn't call Harry the hero... The more I read the books, the more I think Snape is the true hero, not Harry. His rule-breaking is really childish sometimes, and he does have an acting like a hero thing. Luna and Harry sounds perverse to me. She might be able to talk to him like no one else, but she always remains mad to me. I would have preferred no Luna to no Grawp in the series as well, or no Umbridge! Hermione is indeed closer to Harry and is able to reason with him (at least when HE is willing to listen to her). How many itmes has Ron treated Harry AND Hermione badly? I would have preferred Harry with Hermione as well, because Ginny just kind of pops up in HP6, right? He suddenly gets obsessed with her after his date with Cho didn't work out (which, incidentally, happens because Harry has no EQ), which is unrealistic to me because his feelings for Ginny come out of nowhere. Hermione on the other hand has always been present in his life, and if you consider the way Ron treats her, I think they don't make a good couple at all.

In the grand scheme of things, Harry is the hero of the story. He is the chosen one and the main focus. We're not delving deep into the layers of the story to find out what makes a true hero, we're just going off the simiplicity of what makes him a hero: the fact that Jo made him the chosen one and therefore the main focus of the story.

The treatment of a person has no bearing on what sort of relationship one should have with another. Two people who are very close could be just like a brother and sister, as is the case with Harry and Hermione. Two people who like each other could be feeling tension, friction and jealousy, and might argue and hide or deny their feelings for the other, as is the case with Ron and Hermione.

I wouldn't be so sure of that... A Harvard professor will most likely never fall in love with a cleaning lady who dropped out of school at the age of 14 (just an exmaple). Intelligence and similarities do matter. Hermione has so much more common sense than Ron, she needs someone more reasonable in my view. Ron's total inability to express or recognise his own feelings is something that can't possibly attract Hermione (and she certainly won't put up with it for years), the conversation in HP5 about Cho and Harry's kiss proves that. Ron is even so stupid that he doesn't tolerate his own sister kissing other boys! Hermione is always the emotional expert and basically needs to lecture the boys several times, but still Harry hasn't got a tendency to bicker with her all the time...

Let's face it: Ron is a fucking idiot and Hermione is too good for him. Them getting together is like a Harvard grad marrying a high school drop out.

That's the beauty of it. A relationship shouldn't be based on something such as intelligence; opposites do attract.

Lord Stafford.

I think intellect should be an important trait to look for when finding someone. What the hell are Hermione and Ron going to talk about that's important? She'd be bored of him, especially when he loses his job as an Auror since he's an incompetent fool.

Pottermore username: DustBlade76

So Crucify the ego, before it's far too late, to leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical. And you will come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable.

I wouldn't be so sure of that... A Harvard professor will most likely never fall in love with a cleaning lady who dropped out of school at the age of 14 (just an exmaple). Intelligence and similarities do matter. Hermione has so much more common sense than Ron, she needs someone more reasonable in my view. Ron's total inability to express or recognise his own feelings is something that can't possibly attract Hermione (and she certainly won't put up with it for years), the conversation in HP5 about Cho and Harry's kiss proves that. Ron is even so stupid that he doesn't tolerate his own sister kissing other boys! Hermione is always the emotional expert and basically needs to lecture the boys several times, but still Harry hasn't got a tendency to bicker with her all the time...

Hermione picked Ron.

Similarities do matter, but through personal experience and knowledge I know opposites can and do attract. Hermione is attracted to Ron because of the way he is different from her. We don't live in a world where everyone is the same as us, so what's attractive to us is often someone's different take on life from ours. Together, Ron and Hermione are the perfect example of that, and the perfect match.

The only way I could ever see someone shipping Harry and Hermione is if they are basing it solely off the movies because I don't think that seems a remote possibility in the books. I don't understand why she regrets pairing up Ron and Hermione to be honest.

Let's face it: Ron is a fucking idiot and Hermione is too good for him. Them getting together is like a Harvard grad marrying a high school drop out.

OMG how stereotyped is it ! I've done High school and my husband done manual studies (to be a baker) so for you i should have look at him like it's was an worm who doesn't merit i look at him ?

I wasn't attract by a diploma (that just PAPER) i was attract by an man, his qualities, his humor, his human being and i think Hermione is the same and i'm sorry but Ron isn't a idiot and Harry is not better than him !!

Let's face it: Ron is a fucking idiot and Hermione is too good for him. Them getting together is like a Harvard grad marrying a high school drop out.

That's the beauty of it. A relationship shouldn't be based on something such as intelligence; opposites do attract.

Lord Stafford.

I think intellect should be an important trait to look for when finding someone. What the hell are Hermione and Ron going to talk about that's important? She'd be bored of him, especially when he loses his job as an Auror since he's an incompetent fool.

Your views are those of someone who is very close-minded. Intellect is a trait, not the basis of a relationship.

OMG how stereotyped is it ! I've done High school and my husband done manual studies (to be a baker) so for you i should have look at him like it's was an worm who doesn't merit i look at him ?

I wasn't attract by a diploma (that just PAPER) i was attract by an man, his qualities, his humor, his human being and i think Hermione is the same and i'm sorry but Ron isn't a idiot and Harry is not better than him !!

Harvard implies intellect, which is a fantastic character trait for someone you're potentially going to love and cherish for the rest of your life. This is even more relevant if you're going to have kids as you want those genes. I won't date a stupid person. Period. I won't be that mathematician who dates a high school graduate.

Why not have your cake and eat it too? Intellect, personality, charm, wit, humor, etc. These are all good qualities.

Lord Stafford, your strawman is pretty awesomesauce. I didn't say it should be a basis for a relationship, but should instead be something to look for.

Pottermore username: DustBlade76

So Crucify the ego, before it's far too late, to leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical. And you will come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable.

I hate to disagree, but intellect isn't necesssarily about being close-minded. I mean, a relationship means having lots of conversations, and like someone else pointed out before, what the heck do Hermione and Ron have in common? Even if oppositions attract you, wouldn't it become a bit tiring if your partner had totally different points of view about everything after a while? Also, Hermione didn't choose Ron for a reason, she chose him because Rowling decided it, and reading between the lines of that article she seems to regret it, which I understand completely. I agree that Harry/Hermione maybe wouldn't work in the books, but Ron and Hermione just seems too odd to be true. I will again use HP6 to illustrate this. Why on earth does Ron walk off with Lavender just because of some stupid Quidditch thing? Come off it, he's immature and has some serious complexes. He doesn't need Hermione, he needs counseeling. Even if Ron and Hermione would still be together in Jo's mind now, they must have been rowing at least every week since the marriage. They just don't match...

OMG how stereotyped is it ! I've done High school and my husband done manual studies (to be a baker) so for you i should have look at him like it's was an worm who doesn't merit i look at him ?

I wasn't attract by a diploma (that just PAPER) i was attract by an man, his qualities, his humor, his human being and i think Hermione is the same and i'm sorry but Ron isn't a idiot and Harry is not better than him !!

Harvard implies intellect, which is a fantastic character trait for someone you're potentially going to love and cherish for the rest of your life. This is even more relevant if you're going to have kids as you want those genes. I won't date a stupid person. Period. I won't be that mathematician who dates a high school graduate.

Why not have your cake and eat it too? Intellect, personality, charm, wit, humor, etc. These are all good qualities.

Lord Stafford, your strawman is pretty awesomesauce. I didn't say it should be a basis for a relationship, but should instead be something to look for.

You look down on people for not being as intelligent as you, but that doesn't mean they're stupid, it just means you're arrogant. Your statement regarding Ron and Hermione talking showed that, as I know intellect doesn't come from exams and coursework, it comes from life lessons and life experience.

I hate to disagree, but intellect isn't necesssarily about being close-minded. I mean, a relationship means having lots of conversations, and like someone else pointed out before, what the heck do Hermione and Ron have in common? Even if oppositions attract you, wouldn't it become a bit tiring if your partner had totally different points of view about everything after a while? Also, Hermione didn't choose Ron for a reason, she chose him because Rowling decided it, and reading between the lines of that article she seems to regret it, which I understand completely. I agree that Harry/Hermione maybe wouldn't work in the books, but Ron and Hermione just seems too odd to be true. I will again use HP6 to illustrate this. Why on earth does Ron walk off with Lavender just because of some stupid Quidditch thing? Come off it, he's immature and has some serious complexes. He doesn't need Hermione, he needs counseeling. Even if Ron and Hermione would still be together in Jo's mind now, they must have been rowing at least every week since the marriage. They just don't match...

I never said intellect had anything to do with being close-minded, I simply said that the views I've argued against are close-minded, including yours. To claim that Hermione didn't choose Ron, Jo did, is ignorance. Why do you think Jo decided on Ron and Hermione, not Harry and Hermione?

Okay, Stafford. Name a single thing Ron would bring to the relationship. He's emotionally crippled. Stupid. Average. Cowardly. Can't succeed on his own. The list of his negative qualities goes on. Frankly, there's not a single character in the series that's good for him. I don't think there's anyone in the series for Hermione either.

Pottermore username: DustBlade76

So Crucify the ego, before it's far too late, to leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical. And you will come to find that we are all one mind, capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable.

Okay, Stafford. Name a single thing Ron would bring to the relationship. He's emotionally crippled. Stupid. Average. Cowardly. Can't succeed on his own. The list of his negative qualities goes on. Frankly, there's not a single character in the series that's good for him. I don't think there's anyone in the series for Hermione either.

He may be many things, but he's not a coward. He sacrificed himself in the chess match to get the philosopher's stone when he was just 11. He was willing to accompany Harry into the Chamber of Secrets to rescue his sister. I doubt you'd get many cowardly people walking into a lair of giant spiders, even if they weren't arachnophobic. There wasn't a point where he backed out of danger until DH, when his family were in danger and the Horcrux was bringing out the worst in him. Even then he came back and saved Harry's life, which would have taken a lot of emotional courage, given the terms on which they parted. A coward would certainly never have been able to then fight and destroy the Horcrux - the very thing which was torturing him internally and exploiting his insecurities and character flaws for months. By the end of Hallows he's openly defying Voldemort by shouting him down to his face. In your eagerness to deride the character as stupid and useless, you've overlooked - unintentionally, no doubt - a great deal of evidence from the books.

And Hermione's not as perfect as you're making out either. She's immature and blunt in her own way. If she'd had her way with SPEW, there'd have been a lot alcoholic, unemployed House-Elves wandering around, depressed and destitute. Why? Because she didn't have a clue what she was talking about with regards to the social history of the elves and more broadly some of the other prejudices of the wizarding world. She insisted arrogantly that she knew best, thought the elves own opinions on the subject were beneath her and then pretty insidiously tried to trick the elves at Hogwarts into taking clothes by hiding them under things.

Neither of the characters are perfect. The movies have just instilled in people's perceptions this sort of generic, action-girl cliche of Hermione. Both characters are caricatures of what they were in the books, which is a testament to Rowling's writing, and a testament to Kloves's incompetence. But in the books, they balance each other out better than Harry and Hermione do. It's stated multiple times that Harry found Hermione boring to be around when Ron wasn't there. She's quite boring and serious-minded as a person. Did you never wonder why she found it so hard to conjure a patronus? Because she's too stark and serious and sombre all the time. She needs someone lighter to bring out her lighter side, to help her stop taking the world so seriously. Very serious people like her don't often end up with people as serious as them. In a way they're a kind of vague parallel of Molly and Arthur.

You gotta appreciate how funny is to watch people arguing about characters they doesn't exist. Besides the fact that people cares more about if Ron and Hermione got togheter, than the message and themes of the books and films.